I always took the position that my boss (when I had a job) worked for me. My job was to do the thing I was hired to do, and my boss had assets that could help me do the job better. His job, then, was to figure out how best give me access to the people, systems and resources that would allow me to do my job the best possible way.
Of course, that also means that the people I hire are in charge as well. My job isn't to tell them what to do, my job is for them to tell me what to do to allow them to keep their promise of delivering great work.
If you go into work on Monday with a list of things for your boss to do for you (she works for you, remember?) what would it say? What happens if you say to the people you hired, "I work for you, what's next on my agenda to support you and help make your numbers go up?"
Seth's Blog: Who do you work for? (And who works for you?)
Negotiate Salary like a Pro: Know your BATNA, Resistance Point and Opening Offer! | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog
• Can you negotiate for a better salary during a recession?
• What is your BATNA and Resistance Point?
• Who makes the Opening Offer?
• What else should you negotiate, when accepting a new job?
In last week’s Blog, we reviewed the intrinsic factors for career satisfaction and the seven sources of psychological motivation. Take the time to analyze what is truly important to you and what you need for career satisfaction Career Transition Confusion, 7 Types of Psychological Motivation
Now that you have considered the intangible items which contribute to your happiness, lets’ consider the tangible items which you can negotiate – namely salary.
Knowing how to negotiate for salary is essential in today's rough and tumble job market. Additionally, your initial salary and rate of pay will have long term and cumulative effects. If your raises are based on a percentage of your salary, the higher the salary the more money you can make. It is a good idea to get professional advice from a career counselor if you have been out of the job market for a while, are transitioning to a new role, are relocating to a new area or if your are dealing with a large, employer. You can access a career counselor from your university career center, your alma matter or alumni office or you can hire a private practitioner. This could be the best investment you make.
As an adjunctive instructor at GSU’s Robinson College of Business, one of the 13 courses I teach is Salary Negotiations for Business Professionals. My MBA students request this class and are often anxious about how to negotiate a compensation package. As a career counselor, I love helping clients sort through multiple offers. However, each individual is unique and what will satisfy one candidate may be inadequate for another candidate.
Tip #1: Once a job offer has been made, always negotiate the terms and conditions of the overall package. Even if you do not get all of the items you are seeking, it sends a clear message to the employer. It shows the employer that you are valuable and that you have self confidence. This will reinforce the employers’ hiring decision and confirm that you were a good choice.
Tip#2: Know your BATNA. In business, a BATNA is the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. What does this mean in common terms? Know your options. If this is the only interview you have had in months, your only job offer and your wife is about to have twins – then make the best of it. Can you afford to walk away from your only offer?
If you have multiple, job offers, then you have multiple ‘alternatives ‘and this may not be your BATNA. I’d recommend asking for at least 24 hours to consider the offer and/or discussing it with your significant other (s). Consider if you have other candidates nipping on your heels and if this is your dream job. If so, then it may be wise to ask for less time to review the offer; ask for a few hours or just an evening to consider it. You still have negotiating power. However, you will need to carefully consider your options and not set ultimatums. Negotiate with finesse, and mutual respect will be gained. Remember, you are likely to see these professionals at other industry events for many years to come and you don’t want to burn your bridges.
Tip #3 Know your Resistance Point. The Resistance Point is the minimum amount of salary you will need, to pay the bills. Your resistance point doesn’t change. Every job seeker should carefully review their monthly needs, expenditures and budget. How much do you need to cover the monthly bills? Always keep this in mind. Unless you are willing to drastically, downsize your lifestyle, living arrangements etc, you cannot accept an offer below your Resistance Point. Every salary should be based on the job title, job duties and the relative importance of a particular role or department. Is your department a cost center or revenue generating center for the company? How does your role contribute to the bottom line or core mission of the company? If you do not know the answer to this question, you are the wrong person for the job.
Tip #4 Know your Target Point. This is your goal salary. Keep in mind that you should negotiate for salary first, then negotiate separately for benefits, 401 K matching plans, healthcare, vacation, flex time etc. The target point is your goal salary. Too often, I have clients and job candidates who seem to pull this Target Point out of thin air. You are a product and every product has a specific market price. In good times, the market may bear higher salaries and even over-inflated salaries. In the past few years, this bubble of unrealistic and unsustainable salaries has burst. In fact, you should research what you are worth, what a particular position is worth, what the cost of living is in job location and how many others are willing to take this job for less pay. A target point is not a fantasy number. More salary etc is always good, but you do not want to overbid and bid yourself out of the game due to excessive demands.
Tip #5 Opening Offers. Only the employer can make an opening offer, not the candidate. If they ask you early on in the interview process, try to stall. Say that you would like a salary commensurate with your skills and experience and within the industry average for job X. Let the employer suggest an opening offer and salary range. Note: you cannot give a counter offer unless you know exactly what the job entails, all of the terms and conditions, the scope of responsibilities, the reporting structure, direct reports , expectations about ‘overtime’ and hours of weekly employment. Is it really a 40 hour a week job, or is this theoretical? Is the job actually more like a 50 or 60 hour a week job? How much travel is involved?
Research, what a competitive salary range would be, for a given job and research your competition. Also, carefully evaluate yourself against the competition: are you less experienced, average, more experienced? Conduct a SWOT analysis to determine your Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats from the competition.Use a SWOT analysis, to analyse your competitive advantage
Be realistic about your desirability and salary expectations. 20-40% is not a realistic jump, when you change jobs. Why would an employer pay you so much more, unless you have gained substantive experience or education since leaving your last job? In a good economy, an increase of 4-7% is standard each time you change jobs. However, in this economy just retaining your previous salary is a success, anything more than your old salary is a miracle.
Consider all of your options when negotiating a job offer. Everyone should request an employment letter. This even applies to people who live in “at will employment states,’ where there isn't a legal employment contract between employers and employees. Get your job offer, terms and conditions in writing. If they promise things at a meeting but won't put it in writing, then these are not real promises.
Happy negotiating…
Author:
© 2010 - All Rights Reserved - Sharon B. Cohen, MA, Counseling Psychology, CPRP. Licensed Counselor. Career Counselor and Career Transition Specialist. Atlanta, GA. "Helping business professionals, reach their career potential!"
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Relevance Outweighs Details – Save the Whole Life Story for Your Momma! » Blog | Great Resumes Fast
If you asked your parents how to write a resume, they would probably tell you to list every job you’d ever had, and then detail everything you’d done at those jobs. Twenty-five years ago, when people mailed their typed resumes to the person to whom they’d be reporting, that was sound advice. In today’s market, wasting space on your resume with irrelevant information is a quick way to land it in the rejection pile.
If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, chances are good that you’ve had at least one job that wasn’t relevant to your overall career path. For instance, someone looking to hire you for corporate communications really won’t be interested in the job you had serving milkshakes at the Dairy Queen. So don’t waste space on your resume talking about it.
Let’s say that you’ve been in the workforce for 20 years, but you’ve only spent 10 of those years in related professional roles. It’s okay to include a line on your resume that says, “Ten years previous experience providing outstanding customer service in the retail and restaurant industries.” It won’t matter to a finance company when or where you held those positions, but it lets them know that you understand how service businesses work in the real world.
The next time you encounter a recruiter, ask him how much time he typically spends reviewing a resume. Most will tell you a number between five and 30 seconds. That’s right: the same document into which you invest hours of your time receives just half-a-minute of his. That’s why it’s critical that your resume contain only accomplishments relevant to the job you’re seeking. If you’re applying for that corporate communications gig, you don’t want the hiring manager’s eyes to fall on “Dairy Queen” rather than “published company newsletter”.
Forget what your parents told you. In today’s job market, a resume doesn’t have to—and generally shouldn’t—include every single thing you’ve done at your past jobs. Tailor each resume to highlight your most relevant accomplishments, and employers may actually spend a little more time reading it over.
To receive a complimentary resume analysis submit your resume via e-mail to info@greatresumesfast.com. To view professionally-written resume samples visit our website at http://www.greatresumesfast.com.
Keep Your Resume Clutter Free | EmploymentDigest.net
I’ve literally reviewed tens of thousands of resumes during my illustrious HR career. I’ve seen some beautifully written ones and others that would make a first grade teacher cringe. Resume writing is an art form, so you really need to put some thought into the content of your resume, keeping in mind that you will be lucky if the individual reviewing your resume spends more than 20 seconds looking it over. Here are just a few quick samples of items that should not be found on your resume:
Your Picture As good as you may think you look in the picture, nobody wants to see it. In fact, I’ve spoken with a number of HR professionals that won’t even consider forwarding a resume to the hiring manager, due to a fear that the manager may make decisions based on the picture. Don’t expect the Recruiter to take the time to fix up your resume before passing it on…it’s not going to happen. If you insist on keeping your picture on the resume, please don’t include a picture that looks like a prison mugshot. I’ve seen a number of resume pictures that had me thinking “This is how you choose to present yourself?”
Company Logos I’m interested in who you have worked for…I don’t care what their logo looks like. Adding company logos makes your resume look busy and keeps Recruiters from focusing on the relevant content. Also, by adding the logos, you’re more-than-likely increasing the file size of your resume. No Recruiter wants to wait 30 seconds for your resume to finally open up.
Your Hobbies I’m very happy that you like to fish, golf, hike, bird watch and collect stamps. Unfortunately, none of these hobbies has anything to do with the job you’re applying for. Leave them off, they’re not helping your cause.
Age, Family Information and Health Status All items that make HR professionals cringe. I’ve seen it more than you may think.
References Available Upon Request That’s a given. We’re going to ask if we want them, we don’t need your permission.
These are just a few items of the many that could derail your goal of finding that new job. The focus of your resume should always be your accomplishments. Recruiters and hiring managers want to find out what you’ve done, how you did it and how it helped the company you work(ed) for. Time is not on your side, so make it stand out.
Let me leave you with a few tips:
Each of your accomplishment statements/bullets should begin with a verb. Avoid using words like assisted and participated; be sure to use words like implemented and lead.
Absolutely check, double check and check again for grammatical errors. Having a second set of eyes peruse your resume is always a good idea.
Don’t put anything on your resume that you can’t back up during the interview.
I hope you find this information to be helpful. Look for some additional resume writing and job searching tips in my upcoming blogs. Feel free to send me an e-mail, if there are any other HR related topics you would like me to address.
Matthew Sims is a Human Resources Manager in the automotive industry. Matthew has extensive experience in: Recruiting, Training & Development, Compliance, Environmental, Health & Safety, Performance Management, Individual Development Planning, Employee Relations, Succession Planning, Management Development, Project Management, Applicant Tracking Systems, Electronic Onboarding Solutions and Social Media.
Quick Tips for Interview Attire and Grooming - Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog
I have been coaching the job-transitioned for a couple of years and I am still amazed at what people wear to an interview. Use these tips to help you. -- Andy
- Err on the side of conservatism. Job-seekers are often advised to dress in the manner of other employees in the organization in which they are interviewing, but hiring managers have been saying recently, especially at the executive and senior levels, that it’s best to dress in the most conservative business attire (not business casual). That means a matching jacketed suit for both men and women, conservative colors (such as black and navy, though women can usually get away with a broader range of colors), polished shoes, and ties for men.
- Keep your hair neat hair and off your face. One of my pet peeves as an interviewer is seeing hairstyles that obscure my view of the candidate’s face. Especially in a panel interview, remember that interviewers may see your face in profile, so hair should not block that view. Long hair is sometimes risky for men, even when neatly pony-tailed.
- Less is more when it comes to makeup, jewelry, and especially fragrance. Tone down these enhancements. Fragrance should be at a bare minimum or omitted completely because your interviewer could be allergic to your fragrance.
- At the same time, don’t stink! Avoid bad breath and body odor (but don’t chew gum or suck on a mint in the interview).
- Watch your grooming. Be sure your fingernails are clean. Although neat facial hair (beard, mustache) is only minimally risky for men, five ‘o clock shadow is a turnoff.
- Hide any body piercings or tattoos. While these adornments are less risky than they once were, plenty of employers still disdain them, so make sure piercings and tattoos can’t be seen.
- A picture is worth a thousand words. Among Quint Careers’ favorite resources for interview attire are Syms’ The Complete Interview Outfit for Women and The Complete
Interview Outfit for Men, which show photos of appropriate interview attire.
Unspoken Secrets of Job Interviewing Prep: How Your Nonverbal Presentation and Behaviors Impact the Impression You Make - Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog
The content of what you say in response to questions (and the content of questions you ask) is obviously exceedingly important in a job interview. What is less well known is the importance of the part of the interview that isn’t spoken — the way you present yourself and behave nonverbally.
If you think nonverbal behavior can’t sink an interview, here’s a story that might change your mind. In a past job, my boss asked me to screen applicants to fill a vacancy in our department and narrow the pool down to three finalists. I did so, and my boss then interviewed the trio. When I asked him his impressions of the candidates, he said he had already eliminated one of them because the candidate never made eye contact during the entire interview.
Let’s look at each nonverbal factor individually:
Interview attire and grooming: Dressing for an interview is a huge subject covered in greater depth in resources like our article When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success, but a few simple guidelines can help you make sure you outfit yourself appropriately for an interview. See them in this entry.
Items to bring to the interview. Be sure to bring several copies of your resume. The interviewer may have misplaced his or her copy, and you may also interview with multiple people who don’t all have copies of your resume. Consider bringing a career portfolio that will enable you to visually present examples of skills and accomplishments. You might also bring a briefcase or attache case, but if you bring a portfolio, you may want to skip this extra baggage. That’s especially true for women, who will likely be carrying a purse as well.
Facial expressions: The default job-interview facial expression is your smile. Sure, there will be times in the interview when a smile is not appropriate, but smiling as much as possible in the meeting is key to showing your enthusiasm. One of interviewers’ top complaints about interviewees is that they fail to show sufficient enthusiasm; a smile is the best way to show how much you want the job. A warm smile is especially important when you first meet your interviewer.
Handshake. Your handshake should be firm, but not bone-crushing. Avoid the “limp fish” handshake. Be sure your palms are dry; use a handkerchief on them right before the interview, or try Moisture Absorb, a product recommend in Oprah’s O Magazine.
Posture. Once the interviewer invites you to take a seat, sit up straight and try the psychological trick of sitting slightly toward the edge of the chair to appear eager. My partner, Dr. Randall Hansen, once received an interview critique by a college recruiter during an on-campus job interview that he probably would not be considered for the job because he sat back in the chair in a too-relaxed manner.
Eye contact. As we’ve already seen, eye contact is extremely important. Some experts advise looking at the interviewer’s nose to avoid appearing creepy by keeping your eyes affixed on his or her eyes. In a panel interview, look at the questioner when responding to a question, but also glance at the other interviewers.
Hand gestures. It’s fine to use hand gestures in a job interview, but keep them small, contained, and close to your body. If you know you tend to get wildly carried away with hand gestures — or if nerves make your hands shake — try firmly holding a pen. When one of my students did that in her mock interview, I was amazed at how poised she looked.
Bad habits and inappropriate body language. Any number of quirky tics in an interview can derail your performance, and the worst problem is you may not even be aware you’re exhibiting those behaviors. In a panel interview, I once had an interviewee who swept his hand back and forth across the table at which he was seated for the entire interview. Another sniffed loudly and nervously throughout the session. Both were unaware of what they were doing. Some typical inappropriate behaviors are tapping, drumming, leg shaking, fidgeting, twirling in a swivel chair, and playing with hands — and many interviewers have seen far worse. Also be aware of cultural preferences about personal space. While Americans prefer a couple of feet of personal space that we don’t want others to violate, members of some other cultures see conversation partners as rude if they are not in each others’ face.
The most difficult nonverbal problem is profuse sweating because it is very difficult to avoid and deal with once in the interview. If you are prone to extreme sweating, first see if your doctor has suggestions. And be sure to take a tissue or handkerchief into the interview; you may have to subtly wipe sweat off your brow or face. My partner once saw a guy in an interview wipe sweat off his hand by running it through his hair. Ewwww.
Confident voice projection and avoiding verbal tics. Technically, these are not exactly nonverbal behaviors since they involve speech, but because they do not relate to interview content, they’re included here. The best way to demonstrate confidence — a hugely important interview factor —is to project your voice strongly. Avoid a weak, timid, or baby-soft voice. Among the verbal tics to avoid:
- Pause words and phrases, such as uh, ah, um, like, you know. These are hard to avoid for many of us, but practice, preparation for responding to frequently asked interview questions, and taking a few seconds to gather your thoughts before responding can help.
- Trailing off at the end of a response. You can almost hear the ellipses (…) at the end of this kind of response. The candidate sounds like he or she isn’t finished, yet stops speaking. Be sure you end your responses definitively.
- Raising your voice in a questioning manner or speaking in a sing-song rhythm. We might characterize these as the “Valley Girl” way of speaking. The best way to avoid these habits is to be aware of them and practice speaking in a normal cadence.
What’s the best way to ensure all your nonverbals make a great impression and you look right for the interview? Here are two suggestions:
- Engage in a mock interview in which your interviewer focuses entirely on and critiques your nonverbals. You can do this mock interview with a career counselor or coach, but in a pinch, a family member or friend should do just fine.
- Have yourself videotaped in a mock interview. This technique is especially useful for uncovering those tics and behaviors you may not be aware of. You may be amazed to see how you present yourself. Ideally you’ll be amazed in a good way.
[Learn more in our article, Best Bet for Interview Prep: Rehearsed, Mock, and Videotaped Interviews.]
Final Thoughts
Remember that there is much more to preparing for an interview than practicing how you will respond to the questions. Consider the complete package and ensure that the nonverbal impression you present is as polished as is your content.
life@work: How to Stand Out in a Job Interview
The job interview is an artificial and generally unsatisfying experience for everyone concerned. Many times the interview reveals who the best interviewers are (the people who have high social intelligence, are somewhat outgoing and who have an aptitude for sales) but not necessarily who the best people for the job are, especially if the interviewers are not well trained in interviewing or don't have a clear grasp of what they are looking for.
If you go to several job interviews, you'll notice a remarkable similarity in the questions you're asked. This is because most interviewers tend to ask the same questions they've been asking everybody for years. Even behavioral interview questions can be pretty easily predicted. A simple Internet search directs you to lists such as this one of typical interview questions to prepare for.
Everyone knows there is much more to know about a person and about a company than can be revealed in a job interview. Studies show that interviewing is one of the least effective predictors of job performance, yet it remains the primary tool employers and prospective employees have to get to the job offer stage.So how can you stand out in a job interview? Preparation is key, and you should start your preparation now, because you may not have much time between being called for an interview and showing up to one. Here are a few tips:
1. Read articles about how to conduct a job interview.
You want to understand as best you can the goals, strategies, and mindset of your interviewer before the interview. If you don't have any contacts in the organization who can share with you their insight about how interviews tend to go there, read articles such as this one about how to conduct a job interview.
2. Prepare very thoughtful questions to ask.
You wouldn't believe how many people forget to think about good questions ahead of time. A good question shows that you've given thought to what this organization is about and how you might fit in. "What are the benefits like?" is not a good question! Thoughtful questions also reflect that you've done research into the company and might include:
- How has the economic downturn affected the way you do business?
- What are your five-year sales goals?
- How would you describe the decision-making process here?
- What are the qualities that your most valuable people bring to the organization?
- Since the competition has a 68% share of the market, how does that affect your strategic plan?
Asking good questions has the side benefit of giving you key information about what it's like to work there that can't be found through online research.
3. Decide on your talking points.
Your talking points are the three or so key things you believe the interviewer must understand about you by the end of the interview. These key things of course describe what you would bring to the organization that it really, really wants.
Even if you have the worst interviewer in the world who doesn't make it easy for you to get your talking points across, make sure at the end of your time together that you spend a minute describing what you would bring to the organization that they really care about.
4. Practice your responses to the trickiest questions until they feel natural and easy.
If you've got a question you're hoping you're not asked, be sure to prepare your response to it and practice saying it out loud. Everyone's dreaded interview questions are different - examples include:
- Were you ever let go from a position?
- How much experience with ________ do you have?
- What were doing between May 2005 and August 2006?
You don't have to memorize an answer word for word, but set an intention for what you want to get across. Make it brief, don't over-explain, and move on. If you sound comfortable, the interviewer will feel comfortable. If you sound defensive, the interviewer will sense a story and will ask more follow-up questions.
5. Show your enthusiasm.
You don't have to gush if you're not the cheerleading type, but if you're interested in the job, say so, clearly and with sincerity. Don't play it cool and make the interviewer wonder after your meeting if you cared one little bit about working there. In this competitive job market, perceived enthusiasm can make you stand out.
6. Send a handwritten thank you note with a little something extra.
Receiving a note through the US mail is a rarity and stands out as something special, even though it takes you just five minutes to write.
Add a little something extra, such as a clipping of a related article, a thoughtful follow-up to something that came up in the interview or an idea that the company might consider, and you are suddenly the paragon of thoughtfulness and good manners. Even if your interviewer is under 30 and you're not sure whether they've ever sent a note in their lives, send a handwritten note.
photo by thinkpanama
